Thread advancing device



April 14, 1953 H. A. KULJIAN 2,634,490

THREAD ADVANCING DEVICE I Filed Aug. 2, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR.

Z 0 u d f A 50 104 April 14, 1953 H. A. KULJIAN THREAD ADVANCING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M A xwi fl Filed Aug. 2, 1948 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 THREAD ADVANCING DEVICE Harry A. Kuljian, Merion, Pa., assignor to The Kuljian Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 2, 1948, Serial No. 41,973

1 In the manufacture of synthetic thread, or in the processing of synthetic or natural threads, a thread advancing device is used for causing the thread to move through a predetermined distance, during a predetermined time. One form of thread storing and advancing device includes a plurality of elongated, skewed rolls, and means for rotating said rolls about their longitudinal axes. The thread is applied to a device of this type by winding the end of the thread a few times about one end of said device. The operation of applying the thread to the thread storing and advancing device is referred to as lacing and one object of the invention is to produce improved apparatus for, and an improved method of, lacing a thread onto a thread advancing device.

In some instances, the thread advancing device includes a relatively large number of rolls and is supported at both ends thereof. To lace a thread onto a device of this type by manually winding the end of the thread around the exterior of all of the rolls is very difficult.

In other instances, the thread advancing device is supported in cantilever manner and the operator can stand near the free end of the device and can reach over and wind the thread as near to the other end of the device as possible. However, when a cantilever supported thread storing and advancing device is relatively long or has a relatively large diameter, or both, the lacing operation again becomes very difficult.

It is therefore a further object of the inven-v tion to produce an improved apparatus for, and method of, lacing the end of a thread onto a thread advancing device whereby the lacing operation is greatly facilitated, regardless of whether the thread advancing device is supported at both ends or not and regardless of the length or of the diameter of such device.

. A still further object of the invention is to produce an improved lacing apparatus which is semi-automatic, which is inexpensive, which is durable and which can be operated with minimum skill and effort.

. When the relatively large number of thread storing and advancing devices which are used contribute very materially to the advance of the industry.

Themanner in which myimproved lacing de.-.

8 Claims. (01. za -71.5)

vice and my improved method of lacing are car ried out will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic side elevational view of a thread manufacturing or treating apparatus embodying my invention, certain parts being omitted, the thread advancing and storing device being mounted in cantilever fashion. 1

Fig. 1A is a view looking in the direction of line lA-|A showing the parts omitted from Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view on line 11-11 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic view. looking in the direction of line III-III on Fig. 1, illustrating the ineffective position of the lacing device embodying my invention. 5

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 showing the effective position of the lacing device.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing a form of linkage for actuating the lacing device from one of its positions to the other. Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 1 except that it shows the application of the invention to a thread manufacturing or treating apparatus of the type in which the thread storing and advancing device is supported at both of its ends.

A synthetic thread manufacturing apparatus of the type shown in Fig. 1 includes a supporting frame l0, an inner end plate 12 carried by said frame, a central fixed post [4 carried by said end plate, an outer end plate [6 carried by said fixed post, and a plurality of rolls, RI R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R1 and R8, arranged in a circle aboutthefixed post l4 and having their ends journalled for rotation in self aligning. bearings l1 provided in said plates 12 and I6. Gears [8, driven by a motor M serve to rotate the rolls about their axes.

The axes of some or of all of the rolls are skewed with reference to the axisof'the center post M so that a thread laced about one end of the thread advancing device will, when said rolls are rotated, advance in a spiral path until it reaches the opposite end of said thread storing and advancing device. The assembly thus far described constitutes-a thread storing and advancing device which may form part of a continuous process synthetic thread manufacturing apparatus or which may be used for processing synthetic or non-synthetic threads. In the embodiments of Figs. 1 and 6. the axes of tharolls areso skewed. that a threadlaced about the thread advancing device will move from right to left as viewed in the drawings.

When the apparatus is used for the manufacture of synthetic thread, a spinnerette I9 is used for emitting an appropriate solution into a precipitating bath 2!! to form a filament 22 which ispassed over one or more godet wheels 24. After leaving the go'det wheel, the filament is wound about the right hand end of thethread advancing device and the rolls are rotated to cause the filament'to move spirally from right to left rela tive to the rolls Rl to R8.

In order to provide for easy and expeditious lac- The ring 26 is. located nearthe centrics, selectively, to the position of Fig. 3 or to the position of Fig. 4,

In Fig. 6 I have shown the application of the invention to a thread storing and advancing de vice which is supported at both oi its ends instead of being cantilever mounted as shown in Fig. 1. Since the structure of Fig. 6, except for having; a supporting frame! Ill" at each end thereof, is identical with thestructure of'Figs. 1 to 5, it is deemed unnecessary to describe the structure again.

From the-foregoing it will be seen that, to lace a thread onto the thread storing and advancing device; it. is merely necessary to turn the excentries 38' to-the position of Fig. 4 and to drop the 'endof thefilament-onto the rotating flat ring 26. i As. soonvas a. satisfactory bundle 28 has been 1 formed, it is pushed onto the thread storing and advancing device and is rotated so that, ;when-the.- 5

end of the filament is dropped onto the ring, the thread will form a bundle 2'8 around-the ring. 'llhabundlathus formed is pushedoff the ring and ontozthe adjacent end-of the thread-advancing da vice. Due to the skewing of the rolls, the bundle 28will movev from right to leftand the trailing filamentxwill vform: a single file spira1 30rwhichciroumscribes the rolls. and; which moves: longitudtof: the: thread: advancing device. When the bundle 2-8'has reached-the left'ha-nd end of the thread advancing device, it is out and removed and the trailing, endof. the filament is threaded V onto-4a coning, twisting, or other. take-up device notrshown In order to prevent the'filament from entering between the ring 2:6: andthe; end plate 12; the. ring is' provided with. are outer vertical guard; 32., The ring: is prevented: from lateral movement by any'suitablemeans-such as; an inner, vertical, flangev 3t which is disposed? in the spaca'between. theend; plate [2- and the a'dj acent ends of the rolls Rl to R8,...

The-inside; circumferenoe-of the ring 26 is larger than the circumference ,ofi the'thread advancing device and the ring is: so mounted: as. to be'iree toimovel'up. and*down, or in aplanenormal to the axinof the post: Li. By thismeans wheni the ring" is' moved down to; theposition ofFigze it willas- $111116. ani excentric' position v relative to theaxis of the post M in whichpositiontherring 26 rides on; one: or more. of. the: rolls and" is" frictionally rotatedibycontactiwith thei-rotatingirolls. As shown inl'Fi'g; 4,- thering rests upon, and is driven by contaetiwith, the uppermosttrolls :Rl R2, R3,..a nd' R111 This makes for'morei stability thaniifa the ring 26iwere toxrest on: andibeidriven byonly-one or mo of- 'therolls.

--'-Wh'en:-the ringismovedt up to the-position of Fig. 3jlit:assumesi aconcentricposition with referencezto: the axispfthe post l4 andit;willibe;out

ofscontaehwith any of the rollsRt to R8. I-n-this position the ring 26 does not rotate.

a -In.order;to move'the ring; to'either. of the: positions of Fi'gs..3- and 4, Iprovide. oneor-moreex-:

vddedioria'ctuating: said linkage; to rotate said-iex a advancing device and the excentrics are rotated to the position of Fig. 3. This makes it possible to laceia thread about the. cantilever mounteddevice'offFig; 1:, oraboutthe-device ofFig. fiwvhioh is: supported at both of its ends, with little-time, effort.- or'skill; When the difliculty of lacing; a thread onto arrelative'ly'largaoantilever mounted dEViGGSiS remembered; and when=thieipractical impossibility offproperly lacing: the thread? about a device supported at both of its ends, as; in' Fig", 6". isoonsidered', it will be seen thatthe lacing-ring ofJmy inventionconstitutesa vers important con"- trihution-totheart. llhe diificulties. above-pointed out:- ara'encountered the: lacing" of a; dry 'thread and are: greatly multiplied when a; continuously and rapidly forming filament is? to be laced. as rapidly as; it is: precipitated in the regenerating bathiin the mannershowniniFig. 1.

My invention also includes means to maintain the: proper angle cf' approach of' the thread relative to: the rolls and to? guard against back-slip.- pageoi the thread 22 when thebundle' ztiiszm'oved off the-ring 26 onto the adjacent ends of the :ro'll's':

As'showninFigr I, the godetwheel M -i's mounted for free rotation-on a sleeve; and-is confined against-longitudinal displacement-Joy: collars Wat the opposite endsof the sleeve The sleeve- 46 is engaged" by-an-armili which i's carried by: apush and' puilrod 52 movable horizontally in" abe'aring sleeve 53 The rod 52- is providedwitha front handle 54' and aback: stoned and carries an open eyelet 5B for receiving and guiding'tha filament; The rod fiialso carries a pendent arm the lower end of which ispreierably cushioned fbr pu'shing thebundl'e 28 off the lacin ring when thego'det wheel"- is moved tothe leftiby the push rod The operation isa-s follows: When it is desired to wind the endi of the filamenton the lacing ring 251 the rod 52 is pushed to the" right, as viewed in: L soas to bring-the; godetiwh'eel and the filamentiguide 58:- into. vertical alignment with the ring 26. In this positio'n: the pendent arm: '5 iifwill. be in: alignment". With: the; right hand end of? the. lacing ring; The: end of. a freshly forinedi filament, or: the. endof a. thread to be treated; is then.- wound' around: the" godeti wheel}.

is passed through the eyelet 58;.anct iss-ailowedlto drop onto, andttoxwind-itself about, the rotating lacing ring. to form-the bundle 28. When; the bundle; 28" isiformed; theioperator pullszthef handle 54 soas.-to:move.-thef godet wheel; the eyelet: 5%.

- andithe thread't z2fitoithei-leftias viewediineliig; 1'.

Simultaneously, the; pendent. arm 60: pushes the bundle; 2B offl'the lacing: ring: and ontoith'e adia'ecent? ends of: the=rollsc RA: to' Rfli, Themovem'ent of the godet wheel, the guide eyelet'fiflt-andlthe thread serves: toqmaintaiirthe: properangleiof approach of the thread which would not be the case if the thread were moved off the lacing ring onto the adjacent ends of the rolls without a corresponding movement of the godet wheel or without a corresponding movement of the thread relative to the godet wheel.

What I claim is:

1. A thread storing and advancing reel formed of a plurality of rolls and having a thread receiving end and a thread discharging end, an annular member mounted for rotation near the threadreceiving end of the reel and adapted to be engaged, and driven, by the adjacent end of at least one of said rolls, means for rotating said rolls, and means for engaging said member with, or disengaging said member from, said end of said roll.

2. Lacing means for winding a thread about a thread storing and advancing device of the type which includes a plurality of skewed elongated rolls having a thread receiving end and a thread delivering end, and means for rotating said rolls about their axes, said lacing means including a ring mounted for rotation about the axis of said device and movable in a plane normal to the axis of said device to a first position in which said ring is stationary and to a second position in which said ring rotates upon rotation of said rolls, and actuating means for moving said ring to either of said positions.

3. The structure recited in claim 2 in which said ring overlies the adjacent ends of said rolls and, in its said second position is internally engaged and rotated by the end of at least one of said rolls.

4. The structure recited in claim 2 in which said actuating means is in the nature of an excentric positioned below said ring and rotatable to one position to raise said ring to its said first position, and to a second position to permit the ring to move to its said second position by gravity.

5. Apparatus for treating a thread, said apparatus including a thread advancing device, a ring rotatably mounted near one end of said device and adapted to have the thread wound thereon, means for rotating said ring at will, a finger mounted for movement longitudinally of the axis of said ring, and means for actuating said finger to push the thread accumulated on said ring onto the adjacent end of said device.

6. The structure recited in claim 5 together with a guide in vertical alignment with said ring for directing a thread onto said ring, together with means for moving said guide to .a position in alignment with the end of said device simultaneously with the movement of the thread off said ring and onto the adjacent end of said device.

7. The structure recited in claim 5 together with a source of thread in alignment with said ring, a guide also in alignment with said rin for directing said thread from said source onto said ring, and means for moving said source and said guide into alignment with said adjacent end of said device simultaneously with the movement of said thread 01f said ring and onto said adjacent end of said device.

8. Means for lacing a thread onto a rotating reel having a thread receiving end and a thread delivering end, said means including a rotatable annular member mounted adjacent the thread receiving end of the reel, means for rotating said annular member, means for preventing movement of said annular member longitudinally of said reel, a thread uide movably mounted above said annular member, and means for moving said thread guide to a first position in which it registers vertically with and feeds thread onto said annular member and to a second position in which said thread guide registers vertically with and feeds thread onto the receiving end of the reel adjacent said annular member.

HARRY A. KULJIAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,916,372 Hepburn et al. July 4, 1933 1,920,224 Weaver Aug. 1, 1933 1,983,795 Furness Dec. 11, 1934 2,136,556 Lovett Nov. 15, 1938 2,175,218 Samerdyke Oct. 10, 1939 2,227,723 Knebusch et al Jan. 7, 1941 2,475,433 Dasher July 5, 1949 2,543,031 Kuljian Feb. 27, 1951 2,545,015 Barker Mar. 13, 1951 

